The Kings give the Trojans their first loss of the season

Red Deer, October 21 - The Red Deer Polytechnic Kings hockey program gave the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) Trojans their first loss of the season. The Kings came away with a 4-2 win over the Trojans.

Just under two minutes into the first period, a Trojans defenceman blows a tire and Kings forward Chance Longjohn jumps on the loose puck. He would lift a back hand over the glove of SAIT'S goaltender Boston Bilous to give Red Deer the early 1-0 lead. Later on in the opening frame, SAIT's defenceman Dylan Schives would skate end to end through the Kings players on the ice and finish top shelf over Kings goalie, Evan Fradette. At the end of the first period, the Kings and Trojans would head to the locker room with a 1-1 tie. SAIT had a slight 10-7 lead in shots over Red Deer.

Early in the second period, a shot was blocked by Kings defenceman Parker Gavlas led to forward Reegan Doig stealing the puck at the blue-line and would get a breakaway on the Trojans. He would fire a wrist shot past the Trojans goaltender for a short-handed goal to take a 2-1 lead 4 minutes into the second frame. After a SAIT giveaway in the high slot, the Kings were given a prime opportunity to put themselves up 3-1 but Bilous of the Trojans came up big and kept his team within one.

With two minutes left to go in the middle frame, the Kings would get their insurance goal from assistant captain Jacob Kendall after he received a pass from Brennan Davis. Kendall was stopped on his first attempt but would tuck away Red Deer's third goal on his second try. But the Kings were not done there. Holden Knights would drive hard down the boards and put a shot on net. The Trojans goalie would give off a rebound and Erik Miller would jump on it to give the Kings a commanding 4-1 lead going into the third period. Defenceman Ty Ettinger got the second assist on the goal.

Besides the five penalties between both teams, the third period was not as active as the second with only one goal being scored. Forward Carson Welke was able to tip one past Fradette after defenceman Chase Felgueiras put a shot on net from the blue-line. Zachary Huber of the Trojans would get the secondary assistant on Welke's goal at the seventh minute in the third period. This would do it for the Kings and Trojans with Red Deer coming away with a 4-1 victory over the Trojans.

With a goal and gritty performance, Welke was named the player of the game for SAIT. For the Kings, Evan Fradette gave the Kings a 28 save performance enroute to him being honoured as the player of the game for Red Deer.

These two teams will face off tomorrow in Calgary at the Winsport arena at 6:15